Key result
Patient participation in pulmonary rehabilitation post-lung resection for NSCLC is hindered by comorbidities, location, and fear of harm, but facilitated by peer support, tailored programs, and access to psychological care.
Why the study?
Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise tolerance and quality of life after NSCLC resection, but designing and implementing such complex programmes presents challenges.
Patient participation in pulmonary rehabilitation post-lung resection for NSCLC is influenced by barriers such as comorbidities and location, and facilitators like peer support and tailored programs.
Barriers may limit post-resection pulmonary rehabilitation uptake; hypothesis-generating for tailored programs with peer support.
BACKGROUND: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is increasingly offered to patients who have undergone lung resection for non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) as it can improve exercise tolerance and quality of life. However, designing and implementing such a complex multidisciplinary programme has its challenges. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore perspectives of patients offered PR services post-lung resection for NSCLC to gain an understanding of the potential barriers and facilitators behind implementing and designing PR programmes. METHODS: The PR programmes were offered in an outpatient rehabilitation gym at University Hospital Limerick, Ireland. Patients attending routine follow-up appointments post-lung cancer resection during the period of the study were identified and based on inclusion criteria were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews (focus groups). Interviews with patients who participated in the PR programme (n = 8) and those who declined (n = 4) were transcribed and major themes identified using normalisation process theory (NPT analysis) before interpretation of the themes in context. RESULTS: Across 4 focus groups that were conducted, the important barriers identified were the presence of comorbidities, location, perceived lack of benefit, and a fear of causing harm. Relevant facilitators included the prospect of acquiring new knowledge, optional access to psychological support, peer interaction/social support, individualised, tailored programmes, and a holistic approach to recovery as well as goal setting and accomplishment. CONCLUSIONS: Patient participation in PR has been shown to be influenced by both external and intrapersonal variables. The barriers and facilitators experienced by the patients in this study contribute to the existing knowledge of the patient experience of pulmonary rehabilitation and can help to inform clinical practice and future research.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Doyle et al. (2025) studied Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) post-lung resection (n=12). Pulmonary rehabilitation vs. Non-participation was evaluated on Patient perspectives on barriers and facilitators to participating in pulmonary rehabilitation. Patient participation in pulmonary rehabilitation post-lung resection for NSCLC is hindered by comorbidities, location, and fear of harm, but facilitated by peer support, tailored programs, and access to psychological care.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: